Grading-machine.



1. 1 FossuM. GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2711913.

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Wfl/765566:

J. J. FOSSUM. GRADING` MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. 1913.

v1.1. FOSSUM. GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.27. 1913.

Patented July 31, 1917.

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JOHN J. FOSSUM, 0F MAXBASS, NORTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 PAUL J'. NORDIBERG, OF NEWBURG, NORTH DAKOTA, AND ONE-THIRD TO BERT HENRY, 0F

wEsiHoPE, NORTH DAKOTA.

GRADING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July :51, 1917.

Application led February 27, 1913. Serial No. 751,026.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, JOHN J.- FossUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maxbass, in the county of Bottineau and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements i'n Grading-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to power driven road grading machines and-has for its ob]ect to provide a machine in which a scraper Aapparatus shall be constantly operated by a motor upon the frame of the machine to move earth at the sides of a road and carry thesame to the crest thereof while at the same time the machine will be driven aheadat a desired rate of speed by the motor.

The invention includes devices for' eifect ing the above indicated results together with means for suspending and controlling the position of the scraper member andadjustingthe same as desired. The invention also includes a peculiar type of endless belt scraper devices as well as the means for holding and adjusting the same.

The full objects and advantagesof my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one form,- y' l Figure 1 is a plan view of a road scraper embodying m invention. Fig. 2 is a side Fig. 3 is a sectional rear elevation taken on line 3-3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the individual scraper blades.

A truss-like frame is provided comprising rear horizontal members 10 and 11 suitably secured together by crossbars 12 upon which rear frame the motor 13 is mounted and to l which traction wheels 14V are journaled.

Rigidly secured to frame members 10 and 11 at a point intermediate the ends thereof is a pair of uprights 15 and 16 tied together at their tops by a crossbar 17. Another pair of uprights 18 and 19 are secured to the forward ends of members 10 and 11, the upper ends of the uprights 18 and 19 being in the plane of the uprights 15 and 16 and tied together by a crossbar 20. Longitudinal frame members 21 and 22 are secured to the tops of uprights 15 and 18 and 16 and 19,

respectively. The lower ends of uprights 18 and 19 fall below the plane of the frame members 10 and 11 and have secured thereto longitudinal members 23 which extend forwardly the required distance and are tied together by suitable crossbars.- Upright-S24 and 25 extend between the bottom frame members 23 and the top frame members 21 and 22, as best shown in, Fig. 2. As clearly shown in Figs. land 2, the members 21 and 22 in front of the uprights 25 are bent downwardly and toward one another in the portions 26 and -27, the bottom frame members 23 being corresponda ly bent toward one another in the same pane so as to fall directly beneath the portions`26 and 27. The bottom members 23 are tied together at their ends by a frame circle 28 and a crossbar 29 and beneath the circle 28 is'rotatably secured the fifth wheel or circular bearing member 30 in which is journaled the axle 31 of a front supporting and steering Wheel 32. The fifth wheel circle 30 is provided at one edge with a Worin segment 33 with which meshes l crossbar 39, the end of said shaft 38 being l provided with a sprocket wheel 40 which connected by a sprocket chain 41 with a sprocket Wheel 42 on the shaft 35. By this means the operator can readily oscillate the ifth wheel circle 30 and the steering wheel 32 carried thereby to steer the apparatus. The above indicated frame and supporting structure it will be noted is very strong and comprises a simple and efficient structure for mounting the scraper devices hereinafter described and for operating the same from the motor 13.

The grader or scraper member comprises a frame consisting of two parallel side pieces 43 and 4 4 rigidly held together by means of an upper and lower series of bars 45 and 46. As yindicated in Fig. 3, an end 47 of this framework maybe set slightly angu- *larly with respect to the rest ofV the framejournaled in the other end of the frame.

Sprocket chains 52 run over the sprocket wheels 48 and 51, said sprocket chains having rigidly secured to the links thereof angle iron scraper blades 54, one dange of said scraper blades being secured to the link of the chain while the other dange entends rearwardly, the angle of the iianges comprising a scraper element, as clearly shown in all of the figures.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the scraper blades 54 extend beyond the frame members 43 and 44. The part of said scraper blades which extends outside of frame member 43 has thereon an upright spindle 54 on which is a roller or spool 55. rlhese rollers thus engage the outer face of frame member 43 and prevent the bars 54 and the chains carried thereby from sagging backward as the machine is moved ahead to its work. lt is to be noted also that the bars 54 are at the lower ends bent inwardly, as indicated at 56 in Fig. 2. Also at the extreme end of the bent portion 56 isprovided a baclrwardly turned iin 57. This prevents the earth which has been loosened up from passing off the ends of the scraper bars to the rear thereof.

The frame and endless scraper belt arrangement above described is supported in the machine for control and is driven from lthe engine by the following means: Links and 56 are pivotally connected to the central portion of the frame members 43 and 44, respectively. rlhe links 55 are held to slide vertically in the bearings formed on the crossbars 20 while the link 56 is mounted to slide vertically in bearings similarly formed on crossbars 12 and 17. Adjustable triangles 57 and 58 are connected by links 59 with the frame member 43 at points approaching the ends of said frame members. Similar triangles 60 and 61 are simi' larly connected by links 62 and l63 with the frame member 44. 'lhis structure is-clearly shown in Fig. 3 with reference to the triangles 60 and 61 which is identically the same as the structure of triangles 57 and 58. As so shown in Fig. 3, it will be noted that the-intermediate sides 64 and 65 of these triangles are mounted to slide vertically in bearings formed at the sides of the frame and are provided with racks 66 and 67, similar racks 68 being formed on the corresponding sides of triangles 57 and 58. 'shaft 69 has thereon spur gears 70 and 7l meshing with the racks 67 and 68 of the triangles 61 and 58 at one side of the machine. ,'lhe shaft 69 has on the end thereof a bevel gear 72 which meshes with the bevel gear 73 on the shaft 74 of a hand wheel 75. The shaft 74 has thereon a ratchet wheel 7 6 engaged by a dog 77 operated through a link 7 8 by a foot lever 79. A shaft 8O at the other side of the machine has thereon spur gears ratchet 84 through a. foot lever 85 in exactly the'same manner as has already been described for links 61 and 58 shown in Fig. 2. rlhe lower and outwardly extended parts ofthe triangles are pivotally connected with frame piece 44 by the links 62 and 63, as best shown in Fig. 3. lt will be apparent, therefore, that by operating the hand wheels and 83 the endless belt scraper member may be placed at any desired elevation or so as to have any desired angularity with the horizontal transversely of the machine. lt is here to be noted that, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the respective sets of supporting connections to frame members 43 and 44 are such that the scraper frame and the endless scraper belt carried thereby are supported in an obliquely disposed position across said frame and belt. 'lhat is, the front frame member 43 is considerably raised so that as the machine moves forwardly the rear portions only of the scraper bars will engage the surface of the ground to be removed and of course will do this to a greater or less extent according tothe elevation at which the parts are held. 'lhe draft upon this scraper frame does not come through the above described supporting mechanism but through draft chains 86 and 87 which are secured to the forward frame member 43 and to the forward portionof the bottom frame members 23.

lhe motor'13 has on the crank shaft 88 thereof a pair of friction disks 89 and 90. Engaging the friction disk 89 is a friction wheel 91 splined so as to slide upon and move with a shaft 92 and has thereon a worm 93 engaging a worm wheel 94 on the drive shaft 95, said drive shaft 95 having thereon spur gears 96 and 97 meshing with spur gears 98 and 99 on the traction wheels 14 by which the grader is. propelled. By means of a hand lever 100 connected by a link 191 through a clutch fork 102 with friction wheel 91 the same may be shifted to vary the speed of propulsion of the ma chine, as desired. lt will be noted, however, that this propelling mechanism is designed to and will move the machine ahead in a forwardly direction at a relatively very slow speed.

Engaging a friction disk 90 is a friction wheel 403 splined to move along and turn with a shaft 104 journaled on the frame.

rlhe shaft 104 has thereon a bevel gear 105N meshing with a bevel gear 106 on a shaft 107. The shaft 107 is connected by a universal joint 108 with a shaft 109 which shaft 109 has a squared end portion slidably mounted in a'square socket in an enlarged portion of a shaft 110, the shaft 110 being connected by universal joint 111 with a shaft ilo c5 portion thereof. Meanwhile the prope 112 whichxhas thereon a bevel gear 113 meshing with a bevel gear 114y on the end of shaft 48. By this system of flexible shafting the shaft 48 is driven and with it is driven the sprocket Wheels 49 which `drive the sprocket chains 52 and the scraper blades 54 carried thereby. A .hand lever 115 through a link 116 and clutch fork 117 operates to shift the friction wheel 103 to by reason of the upward inclination of the frame and endless belt carried thereby will linally deposit Athe displaced earth at the desired pointinthe road-bed.v It will be noted that uponthe series of cross .shafts orbars ,46' are provided spools 4or rollers 118 against which the inner` sides of the sprocket chains 52 bear and by which the chains and the-Scrapers are held in position to do their work. Upon the bars 541 provide small plow-like members 119, as best shown in Figs.4 and 5, several of these plows being provided onv each bar. It will be noted with reference to Fig. 1 that the plows are arranged in staggered relation so that all parts of the ground to be broken up and displaced will be subject to the action of the little plows which project slightly below the scraper blades, as shown-in Fig. 4.

The position of-these plows on` the scraper blades is such that as the' machine is slowly driven forward by the propelling mechanism above described the plows will be continuously turnin furrows upwardly ror forwardly with re erence to. the direction of movement of the entire-.machina v ,s

The operation of my scraper has been very fully given in connectionwith the detailed .description thereof., Oneof its vchief advantages is the fact that it willrequire but a slngle man to operate the same, who, standing upon the platform 36, has immediately at hand all of the devices for controlling and regulating the 'operationof the machine. y By means of the shaft-104 and the bevel gearing and-flexible shafting Vcon-v necting the same in driving Vrelation with the shaft 48 the endless chain vof scraper blades will be 'constantly moved -from the low 'side ofthe roadway toward `the high side. The plows 119 will-.be thro upward their succeeding furrows pulverizing.

and breaking up the ground, and the scraper blades' 54 will at the same time move'such loosened earth up the slope\ofthe,roacdway or other earth work to the central or hilglr mechanism'operated from the engine will be constantly moving the machine forward at a rate of speed which can be accurately proportioned to the hardness of the ground and consequent rate at which the same may be broken up and transported to the point desired. The action ofthese plows and scraper -blades'is such as. to largely do away with the w enormous' loss of power from friction which goes with the usual typeof scraper mechanism in whichI an angularly disposed blade is caused to ymove over the ground and roll the earth along the same to one side` at the same time that it iszbreaking it loose from its `fixed .positionon the ground. There is practically no friction of earth against the blades which Ymove this earthand because of the pulverizing and thorough breaking action of the plows there is little friction of the earth which is being transported against the supportingiearth beneath. By means of the hand wheels 7 5 and 83 the operator can at Vall times position the scraper4 mechanism so as to form the 'same tothe slope of the work being done and thel extent of elevation .to which the displaced earth must be carried. `It is possible with my machine to move earth-up very steep grades at the sides of roadways or lls and such grades asy the (ai'ldinary scraper could not operate upon at I claim:

v1. A grading machinecomprising awheel- ,I supported frame, a scraper` frame' supported transversely to andfrom the first-named frame, an endless belt "upon the sera erV frame, and a number of scraperblades situated on said belt, said belt being positioned j 'so that the blades are elevated from the ground at one end, the lower'ends of the blades being rounded and bent to take a smooth c ut upon the road surface.

2. A grading machine comprising a wheelsupported frame, a scraper frame carried by said first-named frame and extending transversely thereto, an endless belt adapted to run upon the scraper frame provided with a plurality ofscraper blades having ,their operative edges parallel with the plane of the scraper frame, means y,for holding the scraper frame angularly disposed along the length thereof, and means for holding the scraper frame angularly disposed along the width thereofso that theforward edge of -the scraper frame is-elevated with respect to the rear edge thereof and the operative,"

iis

edges of the scraper blades are correspondingly osltioned, and means to drive the endless be t. 4

3. A grading machine comprising a wheelsupported frame, a. scraper frame carried by said first named frame and extending transversely thereto, 'an endless belt provided with a plurality o f 'scraper-blades adapted to run upon the scraper frame, means holdlli ing,1 the forward portion of the scraper frame elevated with respect to the rear portion thereof so that said scraper frame tilts upwardly, said machine also being adapted to hold one end of the scraper trarne elevated in respect to the other end so that said scraper frame is inclined longitudinally, and means to drive the endless held Ll. A grading machine comprising a Wheelsupported frame, a scraper trarne extending transversely thereto, a pair of slides mounted for vertical movement on the rst named frame at each side thereof, one slide of each pair of said Slides losing pivotallyoonneoted to the front and the other slide of each pair to the rear of the scraper frame, means under the Control of the operator to move the pairs of slides at each side independently for inolining and varying the inelination of the scraper trarne longitudinally, an endless loelt `provided With a plurality oi? scraper blades adapted to run upon the scraper trarne, and means to-drive the endless heit.

.5. A grading machine eonnorisine a Wheelmeente supported traine, a scraper :trame extend` ing` transversely thereto, a pair of slides mounted for vertical movement on the rst named frame at each side thereof, one slide of each pair of said slides being pivotally Connected to the front and the other slide of each pair to the rear of the scraper trarne, the slides connected to the front of the scraper vframe holding the'same at a higher elevation than the rear is held hy the other pair of slides so that the scraper is tilted transversely upwardly, means under the control of the operator to move the pairs of slides at each side independently for inclining' and varying thelinclination ofy the scraper frame longitudinally, an endless belt provided witha plurality of scraper blades adapted to runAnpon the scraper trarne, andmeans to drive the endless belt.

ln testimony whereof l aiiix my signature Ain presence oftvvo Witnesses.

Jtll d. FOSSUM. l/lfitnesses:

Ei. E, ANDERSON,

D. Nonnnnne. 

